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Library specialist salary
Average library specialist salary
$15.81
Understanding Library Specialist Salaries
A Library Specialist plays a crucial role in managing library resources, assisting patrons, and supporting library services. The average salary for this position is $32,884 annually, with hourly rates typically around $16. Salaries can differ significantly by state and experience level. For example, states like California and New York tend to offer higher compensation due to their cost of living and demand for skilled professionals.
Salary by Experience
Entry-level Library Specialists may start around $25,000, while those with several years of experience can earn upwards of $40,000 or more. Specialized skills, such as knowledge of digital archiving or data management, can also positively impact earning potential.
Industries with Competitive Salaries
Library Specialists find opportunities in various sectors, including education, healthcare, and government. Libraries in academic settings often offer competitive salaries compared to public libraries. By exploring these industries, candidates can identify positions that align with their career aspirations.
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Where can a Library Specialist earn more?
Library specialist salary estimates from across the web
Average library specialist salary by state
The average library specialist salary in Washington, California, and Alaska are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average library specialist salary states are New Mexico, Kentucky, and Georgia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for library specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $44,446 | $21.37 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $42,772 | $20.56 |
| 3 | New York | $43,513 | $20.92 |
| 4 | Delaware | $38,387 | $18.46 |
| 5 | Washington | $46,484 | $22.35 |
| 6 | Vermont | $40,584 | $19.51 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $43,757 | $21.04 |
| 8 | Nevada | $37,771 | $18.16 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $43,817 | $21.07 |
| 10 | Montana | $39,699 | $19.09 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $40,551 | $19.50 |
| 12 | California | $45,206 | $21.73 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $40,249 | $19.35 |
| 14 | Wyoming | $34,070 | $16.38 |
| 15 | Nebraska | $34,682 | $16.67 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $39,896 | $19.18 |
| 17 | South Dakota | $37,666 | $18.11 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $37,504 | $18.03 |
| 19 | Iowa | $33,212 | $15.97 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $34,154 | $16.42 |
| 21 | Maine | $39,293 | $18.89 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $33,878 | $16.29 |
| 23 | Colorado | $34,723 | $16.69 |
| 24 | Kansas | $32,772 | $15.76 |
| 25 | Illinois | $35,756 | $17.19 |
| 26 | Maryland | $35,657 | $17.14 |
| 27 | Idaho | $32,415 | $15.58 |
| 28 | Oregon | $34,664 | $16.67 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $33,212 | $15.97 |
| 30 | Utah | $33,337 | $16.03 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $32,734 | $15.74 |
| 32 | Michigan | $33,027 | $15.88 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $31,529 | $15.16 |
| 34 | Arizona | $30,504 | $14.67 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $30,559 | $14.69 |
| 36 | New Jersey | $33,947 | $16.32 |
| 37 | Florida | $28,597 | $13.75 |
| 38 | Virginia | $31,315 | $15.06 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $28,331 | $13.62 |
| 40 | Indiana | $29,434 | $14.15 |
| 41 | Alabama | $27,514 | $13.23 |
| 42 | Ohio | $31,123 | $14.96 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $25,901 | $12.45 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $27,865 | $13.40 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $30,121 | $14.48 |
| 46 | Georgia | $26,325 | $12.66 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $27,648 | $13.29 |
| 48 | Texas | $24,149 | $11.61 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $26,845 | $12.91 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $26,425 | $12.70 |
| 51 | Missouri | $26,311 | $12.65 |
Highest paying cities for library specialists
The highest-paying cities for library specialists are Berkeley, CA, Elmira, NY, and Saint Paul, MN.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berkeley, CA | $49,200 | $23.65 |
| 2 | Elmira, NY | $44,126 | $21.21 |
| 3 | Saint Paul, MN | $43,844 | $21.08 |
| 4 | Bismarck, ND | $42,575 | $20.47 |
| 5 | Burlington, VT | $40,630 | $19.53 |
| 6 | Providence, RI | $40,249 | $19.35 |
| 7 | Hartford, CT | $40,139 | $19.30 |
| 8 | Baltimore, MD | $35,775 | $17.20 |
| 9 | Fort Collins, CO | $35,532 | $17.08 |
| 10 | Portland, OR | $34,831 | $16.75 |
| 11 | Omaha, NE | $34,757 | $16.71 |
| 12 | Wausau, WI | $34,217 | $16.45 |
| 13 | New Brunswick, NJ | $33,984 | $16.34 |
| 14 | Salt Lake City, UT | $33,459 | $16.09 |
| 15 | Philadelphia, PA | $32,669 | $15.71 |
| 16 | Kingman, AZ | $31,403 | $15.10 |
| 17 | Charlottesville, VA | $31,328 | $15.06 |
| 18 | Cincinnati, OH | $29,690 | $14.27 |
| 19 | Gainesville, FL | $28,732 | $13.81 |
| 20 | Greensboro, NC | $28,529 | $13.72 |
Library specialist salary details
A library specialist's salary ranges from $24,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $43,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a library specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
| 75th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| Average | $32,884 | $2,740 | $16 |
| 25th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $24,000 | $2,000 | $12 |
Highest paying library specialist jobs
The highest paying types of library specialists are specialist, librarian, and page technician.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technician's Helper | $36,448 | $3,037 | $17.52 | 81,564 |
| Reference Librarian | $50,409 | $4,201 | $24.23 | 1,058 |
| Library Clerk | $30,275 | $2,523 | $14.56 | 67,131 |
| Librarian | $53,096 | $4,425 | $25.53 | 1,264 |
| Library Aide | $28,197 | $2,350 | $13.56 | 40,987 |
| Library Technician | $37,757 | $3,146 | $18.15 | 24,941 |
Top companies hiring library specialists now:
Which companies pay library specialists the most?
Library specialist salaries at Brown University and University of California, Berkeley are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average library specialist salary at companies like Stanford University and Creighton University are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brown University | $57,110 | $27.46 |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley | $50,066 | $24.07 |
| 3 | Stanford University | $49,895 | $23.99 |
| 4 | Creighton University | $48,895 | $23.51 |
| 5 | University of Nevada, Reno | $46,847 | $22.52 |
| 6 | Frederick County | $40,688 | $19.56 |
| 7 | State of Connecticut | $40,174 | $19.31 |
| 8 | Johns Hopkins University | $39,550 | $19.01 |
| 9 | Alachua County | $39,324 | $18.91 |
| 10 | Mayo Clinic | $38,605 | $18.56 |
| 11 | University of Vermont | $36,039 | $17.33 |
| 12 | Rutgers University | $35,900 | $17.26 |
| 13 | City of Maricopa | $34,852 | $16.76 |
| 14 | Tamalpais Union High School District | $34,828 | $16.74 |
| 15 | Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health | $34,773 | $16.72 |
| 16 | Lafayette School District | $34,436 | $16.56 |
| 17 | Amazon | $34,354 | $16.52 |
| 18 | UCHealth | $34,014 | $16.35 |
| 19 | State of West Virginia | $34,007 | $16.35 |
| 20 | Aspirus | $33,438 | $16.08 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Library Specialist salary by industry
The average library specialist salary varies across industries:
- The average library specialist salary in the education industry is $34,768, the highest of any industry.
- The average library specialist salary in the finance industry is $33,725.
- Library specialists in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $29,825, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for library specialists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education | $34,768 | $16.72 |
| 2 | Health Care | $33,725 | $16.21 |
| 3 | Non Profits | $32,809 | $15.77 |
| 4 | Government | $31,229 | $15.01 |
| 5 | Manufacturing | $29,825 | $14.34 |
High paying library specialist jobs
Library specialist salary trends
The average library specialist salary has risen by $6,055 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average library specialist earned $26,829 annually, but today, they earn $32,884 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for library specialists over the last decade.
Compare library specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average library specialist salary over time
Compare library specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Library specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $32,900 | $15.81 | +4.3% |
| 2024 | $31,500 | $15.13 | +3.6% |
| 2023 | $30,300 | $14.58 | +2.6% |
| 2022 | $29,500 | $14.20 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $28,900 | $13.88 | +2.9% |
Recently added library specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Hobbs, Nm | Library Specialist | Hobbs, NM | 06/28/2025 | $41,803 |
| Northeast Iowa Community College | Library Specialist | Calmar, IA | 06/25/2025 | $33,705 |
| Marathon County Social Services | Library Specialist | Wausau, WI | 06/22/2025 | $41,990 |
| Southeast New Mexico College | Library Specialist | Carlsbad, NM | 06/20/2025 | $50,439 |
| Amherst College | Music Library Specialist/Student Supervisor | Amherst, NY | 06/19/2025 | $46,686 |
| State of Virginia | Library Specialist (Daytime) | Enon, VA | 06/19/2025 | $65,198 |
| Amherst College | Music Library Specialist/Student Supervisor | Amherst, MA | 06/18/2025 | $46,686 |
| Virginia Community College System | Library Specialist (Daytime) | Enon, VA | 06/18/2025 | $65,198 |
| Harris County (Tx | Library Specialist I-Children's Programming (LA Porte Branch Library) | La Porte, TX | 06/14/2025 | $40,759 |
| Neiu Campus | Library Specialist | Chicago, IL | 06/09/2025 | $37,566 |
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